The Trillion Dollar "Thumbing Nose at the Taxpayer" Bill/The IRS=Nazi SS, etc

Heavy snow goes south of Mercer County, so we missed this one.  Youngest son Hal, just informed me that the Dayton area got 3 or 4 inches of snow and it's still coming down...here we are some 65 miles north, with just cloudy skies...which is fine with me.  I'm still working on my snow machine, and after borrowing the new one of Mom's yesterday, I've blown out the driveway enough for this week. 

Year End Political Grumblings___

I've been staying away from the political stuff of late, waiting and watching, as our Kenyan and Thief, Barry Soetoro continues to play nice with the GOP, trying to salvage what's left of his sorry excuse for a Presidency.  So far the DC Republicans are falling for his BS like sheep to the slaughter.  What the Hell do these clowns think happened on November 2nd?  Did the voters say..."Business as usual"?  That's not what I saw in the results.  I can see the lame duck and outgoing Democrats trying to spend us to death, but not the Republicans, who will be coming back, going along with the Trillion+ Dollar Budget:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46383.html_

                                                                                                             
Now bear in mind that Politico is a left wing cyber rag, not as far left as HuffBlow and Daily Kos, but still a mouth piece for the DNC....so this article, while to be viewed with a jaundice eye, is not some far right penned story.  It will interesting to see if the GOP members have the guts or numbers to shut down the Government rather than passing this "stim-you-less" package of pork...I'm betting they don't have the stones.

I worked for local and state government for 20 years...trust me, with the exception of the military and those processing Social Security checks, etc,  the Federal Government could be shut down for a year, and nobody would care except the "workers"...it's an out of control, bloated beast, that needs a few appendages cut off.

Here comes the American Secret Service...after you____

In World War II Hitler had his SS, in the 21st Century, the American Government has the IRS.  And it's growing in power and size:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101215/ap_on_bi_ge/us_irs_audits                      

Of course the Yahoozer(another DNC/Obama mouthpiece cyber rag), headline says "Wealthy" taxpyers.  What it really means is some poor sap and his family that owns a local Dairy Queen or shoe store.  Those folks that create a few jobs are "wealthy" in the eyes of Democrats, Liberals, and the IRS goon squads.....

Simple minded Americans voted for "change" in 2008 in the form of a half baked Chicago lawyer street pimp....they didn't like that change, and tried voting the tax and spenders out in 2010.  I'm sorry to inform all, that it's probably too late.  The bureaucrats and judicial branches are too entrenched in spending ":your" money.  The political branch hasn't the guts or votes to say "NO".  We are doomed to continue to walk down this road to destruction, because we have been on the Nanny State Express for way to long, and don't know how to jump off.

Back to basketball officiating tonight...something I can deal with, I no longer have the mindset to even try to change or convince others to grasp hold of what is happening in this once great republic.


back later>>>>

Photos-With the exception of freedom of speech, and in some areas, the right to bear arms, this nation no longer looks much like the one that our forefathers envisioned....and unless something changes, we are doomed to grow weaker as a people and nation.

de-Bugged! and December, a month of family Milestones

Whatever was ailing me finally went away, at least for now, but plenty of other "issues" to keep me occupied.

Yesterday about 7am Patricia and I headed for Lima Memorial Hospital, so she could get a, requested by her doctor, colonoscopy...things went a-ok/all clear, and we were home shortly after Noon.  I was back working to fire up the Snow Blower, changed gas, but still no luck, so I pulled the plug, and will replace the plug and maybe the plug wire today, to try one more time to get it running...guess it's at the point that it may need one more trip to the repair shop, and maybe a new replacement machine before next winter.  Maybe I should get the large garage heated as well, a costly proposition at best....ah yes, decisions, decisions.

Sam arrived home from Ohio State for Winter break yesterday in time to work a basketball double at Lincolnview, meanwhile I was here in Celina for the same...a boys Junior High double.  Tonight we will attend a rules meeting in Van Wert(Sam still needs two sessions to fill his quota)...on Friday he heads for Georgia for a few days to attend a friend, who goes to Georgia Tech, graduation....a few of them will travel down I-75 to Atlanta to escape the cold and snow for a few days, although it doesn't look much warmer down there.  Youngest sister in Naples, in south Florida, e-mailed saying it was in the low 30s that far south, now that is rare, especially for this early in the season.  Heck, winter doesn't officially arrive for another 6 days.  Speaking of which...it is 4 above zero as I type, heading for a high of maybe 22 this afternoon.  But sunny with no snow until at least tomorrow.

December in the Houseworth Clan_____

December is probably the most noteworthy month in the Houseworth Family, at least as far as milestones.  Dad was born on the 10th(1917), died on the 24th(1972).  Grandma Wilda was born on the 21st(1883), Aunt Cecil on the 7th(1901).  Sam was born on 12/17/81, Patricia and I were married on the 18th in 1976.  Cousin Gary was born and died in December, born a week after brother Mike in 1946, and died in early December a couple of years ago in 2008.  His sister Linda was born on New Year's Eve in 1941.  More cousins from the Pratt and other family lines were also born in the final month of the year.

My oldest and only brother Mike was born on this day(15th) in 1946....so he turns 64 today.  I am sure there are many more that I am missing or just plain have slipped my mind, but December in the Houseworth family is a busy month to be sure.

back later>>>>

Photos-top...me along with brother Mike in late 1956 on the Venice Jetties posing with a Jewfish that dad had landed.  And then in the Spring of 1959 in front of the house on the Venice Byway before heading off to the varsity and jv little league in Venice, playing for the Venice Elks team.

Bugged!

Not the computer type, but some sort of old fashion virus that has laid PRH low...

After working a JV game some 60 mile north of here on Friday, I felt fine, and then I climbed out of the sack and worked a up tempo Junior High double header here in Celina on Saturday Morning.  Got home and my legs felt the 3 games worth of action in them.  After knocking off a couple of Guinness brews, I was not feeling any more "chipper", and hit the sack at 5:30 in the evening, where I stayed until 8am yesterday. 

I managed to help with some snow blowing, but really never felt up to par...watched some football, with little interest, and was back in the sack at 7:30 last night...up at 4:30, showered and some breakfast, and here I sit just before 6am.  The skies continued to snow and the winds continued to blow overnight, and despite not a large accumulation, probably 4 or 5 inches or so, the ice underneath and the blowing are causing havoc on the roadways.  School were already delayed last night, and it seems doubtful if they get opened today at all.

Meanwhile, I am scheduled to work a Girls game up north again, my last drive over 50 miles for the rest of basketball season...and that is probably up in the air as well...frankly, the way I'm feeling, I'm not going to complain if it is cancelled...the long drive in the Jeep is not something I am looking forward to, neither is the worked up sweat and return home.  Tomorrow, Patricia has to go to Lima for a procedure, and I'll be along, as she cannot drive home after the work at Lima Memorial...once home I am scheduled to officiate another double header at Celina.  I'm not sure my mind or body are ready for the next couple of days....time will tell.

back later>>>>>

Photos-Just before 5am this morning, the snow covered drive and the work to clear it lays ahead, and the backyard in the early morning darkness....

Snow, Hawks, and Stan Houseworth(1917-1972)

We received about an inch or maybe inch and a half of new snow overnight...just enough to cover the ground...and make shoveling mandatory.  So I got on my snow blowing outfit(see photo on steps) and am now preparing to shovel out walks(not enough to use the Snow Machine), Patricia already made one to the garage before she left for school.  Amazingly some schools are delayed with an inch or so of white cover, including Celina...almost laughable compared to 40-45 years ago, it took more than this to get a break.  We would listen to WOWO Radio out of Fort Wayne, just hoping that we would get a delay or cancellation...that usually required ice, 6 or 7 inches of snow and some wind...not so much these days.

I looked out the kitchen window as I poured my first cup of coffee, and saw the hundred or so local Sparrows waiting for their daily rations, nothing better to do I guess.  So I grabbed the cup, filled it with seed, and opened the back door.  All Hell was breaking loose out back...the birds were flying and squawking, big time!  It didn't take long to figure out why...The Marsh Hawk!  He(she?) was back and looking for it's own "meal" and it wasn't seed.  I stepped out and the Hawk decided to cut his loses, and flew away into the neighborhood trees...I'm sure he will be back, like I wrote earlier, it's gonna be a long winter.

With the birds and squirrels fed, I'm gonna finish this up quick and head up town...then over to mom's to see if I can fire up her new snow blower, and at least get some use out of it.  Tonight I am back at basketball, another long drive takes me to Miller City, and a boys High School game there....60 miles each way, and with the snow, guess I'll drive the Jeep Wrangler.

Stan Houseworth, born 93 years ago today____

By all accounts, Stan Houseworth was a large baby when born to Sam and Wilda Waldron Houseworth on this date in 1917.  He seemed bigger than life as an adult, but in reality, wasn't all that much bigger than me. Pushing 6 foot and maybe topping out in his later years at 220 pounds...certainly not as big as his only two grandsons(who were both born long after he passed)...my sons, Sam, who is 6' 1" and a few pounds heavier than dad, and Hal, who pushes 6' 4" and maybe 250 pounds.

Stanley Wayne Houseworth was born in Scott, Ohio, on December 17, 1917.  His dad died when Stan was about 10, and Sam and Wilda had been divorced long before that....Dad was the youngest of 5 Children...Cecil, Eva, Forrest, and John, came before him...all except Forrest would outlive him.  93 years ago today, the future fisherman, hunter, mechanic, World War II vet, Antique buff, and Dad(no way we kids would ever call him "father", it just didn't fit), was born....he passed away on Christmas Eve 1972, at home, of a heart attack, after watching the Browns take on the Dolphins in a NFL Playoff game...he loved Florida, he was a Miami fan(although Dad wasn't really a big professional sports fan at all)...he died just two weeks after his 55th Birthday.

Off to do the Snow Job....back later>>>>

Photos-Stan Houseworth in his WW2 Army Air Corp days, me on the snowy back steps this morning, and Dad in the winter of 1956, with the Jewfish he landed off the North Jetties in Nokomis, Florida.

A Hockey Shocker in Philly....Duke Wins without Kylie Irving....

As a long time Philadelphia Flyers hockey fan, I had a rare chance to pick up last night's game played in Philly on Versus TV.  The Flyers have not beaten the San Jose Sharks, in a decade(although they only play once a season at most)...and after taking a 4-1 lead with just 12 minutes left, it seemed that little streak was about to end....but not so fast Gridly!  The lowly Sharks proceeded to score 3 goals in the next 4 minutes to tie things up at 4.  There were still 8+ minutes left in the game, and both teams had a few shots at taking the lead, San Jose actually had 2+ minutes of a power play, but neither team could score, and the game went to Overtime.  Click on the link to see the goals, and be sure to take a look at the end of the 5 minute extra session:

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?cmpid=ggl1bx

I have never seen such a close call...the Flyers lost out on that, and you just knew the game would not end well for Philly, it didn't, and Philadelphia's decade of losing to the Sharks will continue.  The final was 5-4 in a shootout which saw Philadelphia fail to dent the net.

Not all bad for the Flyers, they pick up a point, and still rank near the top of the Eastern Division...but now stand 3 points behind the hated Pittsburgh Penqueens, who are in the mitts of a 11 game winning streak.  But still a long way to go, and a few up and downs for each team in the league remain.  Here are the standings as they look this morning:

 http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm

During these long winter months, and it appears they will be long and cold this season, the NHL and College Basketball are by far my favorite sports fare on the tube.

#1 Duke moves to 9-0___

I've been rooting for Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils for almost as long as the Flyers, well not quite as long.  I became a Duke fan in the mid 80s when K came on the scene, been rooting for Philly since the "Broad Street Bully" days.  Always like the way "K" coached and the type of players that came to the Blue Devils.  Student Athletes in more than just name...this year they have a shot at Mike Krzyzewski's fifth title, and his second "repeat" in the past 20 years.  Last night they took on a over matched Bradley Braves team, despite being without the phenom Freshman Kylie Irving, who is sidelined for, who knows how long?, with the dreaded "turf toe".  An injury that sounds funny, but is anything but, and can send one out for a season if not properly treated and rested.

Last night, even without Irving, Duke had no trouble with the Peoria, Illinois, squad:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/node/34136

The Blue Devils ranked #1 in all polls(Ohio State is #2 which works for me, being a Buckeye fan as well), should have no problem for now in the absence of Irving....but I'm guessing for them to compete for Coach K's 5th NCAA Title, the Freshman will need to return sooner, not later.

After a night off from basketball wars yesterday, I am back at it.  This afternoon I will be in St. Marys, at it's new school and gym, for a Junior High double header between the home Roughriders and rival Wapak. Tomorrow night at long drive to Miller City for a boys high school contest, then on Saturday a double header boys JH back here in Celina...giving me 9 games this week, in addition to the ten I officiated last week.  7 games next week, then things slow over the Christmas/New Year break, before picking up full steam in the month of January.

back later>>>>>

Photos-Flyers blow a lead and a game in a shoot-out, Blue Devils go 9-0 to start the season, and Ross Homan, a local product from Coldwater and a All Big Ten performer at Ohio State can attest to the problems that "turf toe" can cause...he missed an entire season because of the injury that Duke's Kylie Irving suffered against Butler.

Winter Is Here to Stay? Those Winters of My Past...

I climbed into the Intrepid this morning(forgoing the cold Jeep Wrangler, which, with "rag top", never warms up enough on days like these) for a trip to snap some photos of fishing holes I used to frequent.  I wanted to get some shots of the early ice on the "ponds".  As I pulled out of the drive, the in-car thermometer read 9 degrees.  The extended forecast, with the exception of maybe the mid 30s for Friday and Saturday, along with some snow/rain mix, doesn't look any better...highs mostly in the teens and 20s, with low reaching into the single digits next week for the prelude to Christmas.

Winters of my Past_____

It is rare, even here in the lower Heartland, to see a spell of cold weather that lasts this long, this early in the season.  Here we are still two full weeks ahead of official Winter, and the area rivers and Grand Lake have already started to freeze over...and it doesn't look like a warming spell anytime soon, to cause them to melt.  Despite it being rare, I have encountered Winters that have started early and stuck around...some in Ohio and a couple in other locations that I called "home" for lesser periods.

Even Florida is suffering under a cold break as I type...I think my youngest sister said it got down as low as 50 in Naples the other night, and in the north stretches near DeLand, where my buddy Tom works the horse ranch in the "cold" season, he called saying the high yesterday was only 51 or so....now that's cold for Florida, especially this early.

After a decade of living in Venice, Florida, our family pulled up roots in the fall of 1962 and moved back north to Ohio.  I was in 8th grade, and remember that move and the winter that followed all too well.  The winter of 62/63 was bitter....and not just because we were used to the seasons in South Florida.  It was a bitter time.  I recall having my ear tops frost bitten, in a mile or so walk from Celina East School to Dad's Marathon on South Main Street...that winter was nasty cold, with plenty of snow to accompany it.

Other winters that stick out in my mind are those of 76/77 in Celina, and the brutal winters of 77/78 and 78/79 which were Patricia and my first, 2nd, and final, in the Northwoods, living in a farmhouse outside of Wausau, Wisconsin.  Here is an early blog installment of my experience in Wisconsin during the "Blizzard of the Century" in January 1978:

 http://patsdailyrant.blogspot.com/2008/01/blizzard-of-78-1261978.html

We moved back to Ohio in the early 80s, living on Coldwater Creek Road in the ancient brick farmhouse located on the Andrews property.  The winters of 81/82 through 83/84 were packed with snow and plenty of sub zero temperatures...they were indeed "brutal".  Since that time, the winters have moderated somewhat, although I attribute much of that to the fact we moved into town in 1995, and the former Church Parsonage we call home, is, although old(built in 1923), is much better insulated, and with full basement, much more comfortable than that great old house(at least in Summer and Fall) on the creek.  This winter, at least the way it is starting, is hearkening back to those winters of my past.

The winters in Venice, all those years ago, are almost impossible to separate, in my mind, from the "hot" season...yes, South Florida had some cold days, but not many.  I remember Mike and I would take fire crackers(purchased in Georgia on our trips back from Ohio vacations) and "blow up" the ice on our School Street, front yard birdbath....those were the days, that saw the temps dip into the 20s...that however, was a rare occasion.

Rome, New York 1970-71____

The winter that sticks out in my mind as much as any, probably has to be the one after I returned from Vietnam, and always made me wonder, "Why the Hell didn't I just extend my tour at Tan Son Nhut"?  I had my chance, but I chose to accept the assignment to Griffiss Air Force Base.  On top of being lied to(imagine that in the military?) about my duties, I wasn't quite prepared for the Chicken Crap (which was why I volunteered for Nam anyway) or the brutal cold and heavy snow in the Mohawk Valley, that awaited me.

I arrived on base, in early August of 1970...Winter set in about 2 months later.  My new Mercury Cyclone was buried in the Security Police Barracks parking lot by Christmas, and I didn't get it out until sometime in March.  In all we had 300 inches of snow that winter, and I'm not lying when I say the piles of white along the runways at The Griff, did not melt until the July 4th holiday of 1971. I did however learn how to snow ski...Snow Ridge at Turin NY, was where my buddy, the late Jack Friedl, learned just enough to not get ourselves killed when going down the hills and wooded trails of Snow Ridge, although at times I wonder how we made it without serious bodily injury.  That winter of 70/71, I don't think it ever ended, just went right on into the winter of 71/72.

So that is what I thought of this morning, when I went out to take photos of the early arriving season....and am left wondering, "Will this be one of THOSE Winters"?  Time will tell...and I'll stick it out as best as I am able.

back later>>>>

Photos-{double click to enlarge} The top 2 are photos taken at the Palmer Road Bridge at the St. Marys River,  near Mendon.  The next 2 are of our driveway during and after a Blizzard in March 1979 at the farm between Wausau, and Merrill, Wisconsin.  The car is where I managed to park it after driving through the storm to get home.   The 3rd of those three is of the aging farm buildings from the winter on Coldwater Creek Road, after one of the snows in the winter of 83/84.  The bottom photo is of me, in January 1971 as the snow piled up in the Security Police Barracks parking lot at Griffiss AFB, New York....that is indeed me,  needing a haircut(according to Air Force Regs) packing a snowball as the living quarters frame the background.

Pearl Harbor Day 12/07/41 and Basketball Blow Out!

I slid home on icy roads after Dartball last night...another disappointing evening of tossing.  After two plus hours of running up and down a basketball court, my legs and body are not quite up to par tossing the large wooden and feather darts 20 feet with great accuracy.  We win just one of three at Rockford Methodist and drop to 3 wins 12 loses, while I get two measly singles and my average falls to a Spartan .313, still tops on the team, but showing just how bad a first half we have had.  More on the basketball part of the evening later in this posting.

December 7, 1941_____

I always have fancied myself as a History Buff...especially American History.  I  find most interesting the Civil War and World War II  periods of America.  In the case of the World War II and the Depression before hand, are a time, for better or worse, that America came of age....the current situation of the Republic, in my opinion, is America at it's worst.  A bloated, lazy, populace in which we see people on Government Unemployment for as much as 3 years, after the latest "extension" is passed in the next couple weeks or so.  A President, who if even a legally born citizen, which is doubtful, is a hard core American hating Marxist, and has surrounded himself with people of like minds.  America, unless we change our ways, has seen it's better days fall behind us.  We are becoming a nation of witless slaves, an "entitlement" society at it's worst....much like Europe, and we soon will be passing them in our dependence on "The Nanny State"....that is our lot, it seems.

That also was quickly becoming the case in the 1930s under FDR...he was the forerunner to Barack Insane Obama...but war came a-calling, and put a damper on Roosevelt's plan for a Socialist Obedient Society...December 7th of 1941 was a wake-up call:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqbAzj8SVIA&NR=1

In the 1930s and early 1940s Germany and Japan were today's Islam.  Back then we knew exactly who the enemy was....in today's politically correct world, Americans, especially those on the left side of the aisle, refuse to see, or admit they see the enemy...and unless that changes, we, as a nation and a republic, are doomed.

On to lighter fare.......

What do you do when it's a blow out?______

Last night I worked a Junior High double header here in Celina, before heading off to Rockford to toss Darts.  In the early part of the season, I have officiated several "blowouts" of girls Junior High games and High School JV as well.  Scores of 49-10. 36-10, 26-8, etc.  None more so than last nights opening 7th grade boys game.  A much taller home squad pulled out to a 39-0 lead midway through the 4th quarter, after leading 23 zip at the half.  Yep, you are reading it right...39-0!  And the team they were beating has a proud history on the basketball court, with several State Champions crowed in both boys and girls action.   But last night, being the first game of the boys season, was not going well for the visitors.

I've been asked before, "What do you do, or how do you officiate a game that is completely out of hand"?

Some officials/umpires would answer "Just like it was a tie game".  Not me...especially in a lower level game.  You have to let things go...well, you don't have to let things go, but sometimes, it seems necessary to me.  Do you call the same, traveling, moving screens, common fouls, etc, on a team down 39 points with a few minutes left...do you call them the same on the team up by the same.

I don't believe you try to help out the team that trails...but you have to use some common sense.  If the calls are obvious, you make the call...if it's is "iffy" or "border line", I tend to let it go, especially if no safety factor is involved.  The team that's ahead, you use that as a learning tool as well...you make the call, so they know, that during a tie or close game, those calls are going to be made.  It's a slippery slope, but I'm not one to believe you can call all things equal, in a 39-0 blow out.

As for last night's game...the trailing team got a foul call that went their way, scored 2 free throws with about 3 minutes left, and that was it...the final was 45-2.  The 8th grade contest saw no such problems, and the home squad pulled away in the last few minutes and won a hard fought 33-25 contest.  Tonight, as luck would have it, I travel to the school of the teams on the losing side last night....hopefully, the contests, especially the 7th grade game, will be a much more competitive, in which I can officiate "straight forward".

69 Years Ago Today....I salute the few men that remain from the Jap attack on American Soil.  Those events and fault will be discussed by future generations of "historians"...but there can be no doubt that the face of America was much different 3 generations ago, and the question of whether we can return to our former glory and mindset is still up in the air.

back later>>>>

Photos-The West Virginia on 12/7/1941, Dartball last night was another in a long season thus far, and the Newspapers of December 8, 1941, did not worry about being "Politically Correct"...those headlines would not be seen in today's limpwristed press...not even on Fox News.

Winter Sets In, College Football Bowl Season is here, and Happy Birthday "Endora"

Looking out some 2 weeks into the future, I can see no days above 35 degrees for highs, with most days slated to be in the 20s, with lows in the teens...pretty rare to be this cold for an extended period this early in the season...after all we are still technically in "Fall".  So much for Global Warming...one thing I've noticed of late, folks have tired of the lies of the left wing Marxists and media about Global Warming...most thinking folks know what many of us have known all along....there is no such thing as man made Global Climate Change...it is indeed a hoax!

Return of the Marsh Hawk____

I walked out back this morning to give the ration of seed and feed to the Sparrows, Cardinals, and Gray Squirrels...the pair of red birds along with the hoards of small pesky Sparrows came swooping in fast, and began their feast....I came back in, read some material on the Internet and began preparing for my morning writings.  Some 15 minutes later, I popped out of my chair for another, my third, cup of coffee....and lo and behold, the birds were gone.  It didn't take long to figure out why.  I looked above the feeders in the backyard and saw the looming form of our resident Marsh Hawk...killer of birds, and other small rodents and mammals, lurking above the vines and feeders by the back fence.

Now of course I cannot be sure it this is the same one that has been hanging around for the past 4 winters....they look pretty similar, and it wasn't around as much last year(a mild winter), as the brutal winter of 08 and 09, and the previous 07/08 winter.  But given the early signs of a long, cold, season, my guess is he(or she) will make more visits this season, as it progresses.

Bowl Season has Arrived_____

Ohio State's Buckeyes are once again in a BCS Bowl....Coach Jim "The Vest" Tressel has a 5-3 record in BCS games in his previous years...this season OSU takes on the Arkansas Razorbacks on January 4, 2011, in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.  Wisconsin the tri-champion(along with Ohio State and Mich State) of the Big Ten, will take on TCU in the Rose Bowl on 1/1/11...while the Spartans are left with the "Booby Prize" of the Capitol One Bowl against Alabama, also on New Years Day...despite the fact MSU defeated Wisconsin early in the season.  The tie breaker was not kind to Michigan State.  In the National Title Game, undefeated Auburn takes on the Oregon Ducks.  For the rest of the BCS and other bowl action, click on the link:

http://www.bcsfootball.org/ 

Happy 110th Birthday Agnes Moorehead___


To most folks my age or younger, Agnes Moorehead, will be always remembered as "Endora", the conniving mother witch of Elizabeth Montgomery, "Samantha", in the 1960s TV show "Bewitched".  Born in Massachusetts on this day in 1900, Moorehead was actually so much more as an actress.

Moorehead passed away on April 30, 1974, and is buried just down the road in Dayton, Ohio.  She was a college alumni of Muskingum College in Ohio, and owned a large tract of land near Rix Mills, in the hilly area of southeastern Ohio.  She was a devote Christian and conservative in her political leanings...she left her "Emmy" and papers to the College, and her land to Bob Jones University.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Moorehead

Outside of "Bewitched" I fist saw Moorehead in the Bogart and Bacall offering "Dark Passage".  After I got XM Radio a few years back and became a fan of "Old Time Radio Channel", I learned that Moorehead was one of the great Radio Actresses of that time, working between 1937 and 1954...then coming back for the first installment of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater.  She performed in two episodes before her death at the age of 73.  Moorehead's death of cancer, is one of the many that happened to actors and crew of the John Wayne/Howard Hughes bomb(no pun intended), "The Conqueror" from 1956.  To date, 90 of the 220 or so cast members, including Wayne, Moorehead, Susan Hayward, Director Dick Powell, and dozens of others have died from cancer.  The shooting site of the film was downwind from a Nuclear test site:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/374/did-john-wayne-die-of-cancer-caused-by-a-radioactive-movie-set

Agnes Moorehead began in Radio with her friend Orson Wells on the series "The Shadow", in 1937, where she was the voice of "the lovely Margo Lane"...she played in hundreds(if not thousands) of radio broadcasts and was a long time supporting actress in dozens of feature films long before she played "Endora".  She received four Oscar Nominations and 7 Emmy awards, but won only once, that for an episode of Robert Conrad's "Wild Wild West" in the late 1960s.

Roundball, Dartball, etc.....

Saturday I officiated three basketball games, giving me a total of 10 for the week.  I certainly used the time off yesterday to rest the back, legs, and knees.  9 more games scheduled for this week...including a boys Junior High double header tonight here in Celina.  Following that I will make the 20 minute drive to Rockford to toss darts, probably arriving near the end of the first of 3 games.

The week will be busy, and the weather will remain cold....winter is here early.

Back Later>>>>

Photos-The PRH backyard has that "Winter" look, and it's likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.  The Marsh Hawk is back, and perched, looking for a meal.  Ohio State faces Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.  Agnes Moorehead as "Endora", and years before as "Margo Lane" in the "Shadow" Radio program which started in 1937.

Much ado about very little...

I was going to talk about the Wikileaks document dumping of US "Secrets", it's founder, and the little faggot Bradly Manning who, because the military won't allow him to sell his perversion openly while in uniform, instead sold out his country, and the need for both "men" to be tried, convicted, and executed for treason.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/wikileaks

But I figured, what the Hell?  The lame stream media is all over this, with some wanting Assange's head, and others saying, it's is right to leak...some disappointing supporters of this clown are a couple of Fox News talkers, who should know better, Judge Anthony Napolitano and Consumer/Libertarian John Stossel.   I understand their reasoning, but war is war, and treason(by Manning) is treason.  Anyway, I "was" going to write about Wikileaks...but figured "Screw It"...I'm sick of it, and politics in general, and pass enough of that along on my Facebook page(click logo on top right border).  Here is the Judge and Fox News' left wing hack Shep Smith discussing the issue, while the support for Wikileaks by the weak kneed Smith is no surprise, the Judge gives himself a black eye and a boatload of lost respect.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/shep-smith-and-judge-napolitano-back-assange-inside-sources-over-new-wikileak/

So, what to discuss.....?

Aches, pains, cold weather?, which, along with some snow, is expected to last into the coming weeks of December.  Basketball?  2 more games last night, with a JV Boys game at Wapak tonight, then 3 games tomorrow, 2 Junior High Girls games at Elida, in the morning,  and another boys JV at Continental tomorrow night.  Either way, my mind, whether from the personal cold, which is starting to subside, the weather, or the 3 or 4 Extra Stouts I downed last night, is in a fog this morning...so I've decided to talk about......?

Drawing a blank here...maybe I'll figure out something to write about by days end, or over the weekend, or maybe I'll be back on Monday.  Meanwhile, another cup of Coffee, put my coat on, and walk to the bank...about a half mile, in the 30 degree cold, but it's sunny, and maybe, I'll clear my head....regardless, God willing, I'll be....

back later>>>>

Photo-With Judge Napolitano and his latest support for the Wikileaker Julian Assange, is sounding more like his unrelated namesake, The Iron Dyke, Janet Napolitano, the so called "Head" of Homeland Security(Oxymoron Alert)

Graveyards, Snow Blowers, and a little nonsense....

Running late today, and I'm 90 minutes or so away from heading over to the local middle school to officiate a Girls JH double header between Celina and Fort Recovery.  I spent the morning at a local engine repair, lawn mower, and snow blower, dealer in Coldwater.  With winter arriving ahead of schedule we figured it's time to get a snow blower for mom's place.  She doesn't have that much to take care of, but my machine is way too heavy to drag over to her place in the back of the Jeep...to heavy and too big.  As luck would have it, they were out of the smaller 5 HP types, but they did have a trade-in that they had just gotten in.

A local church had just traded in a nice 2 year old Toro, 2 cycle(the type you mix gas with oil, not my favorite, but....), 5HP machine, that I could lift in and out of the back of the Jeep...although it's better on the back, with some help.  The price new, $699...the price used, $279.  The things runs like new, and looks the same, with very little use.  So hopefully both houses are set for the coming cold winter...snowy as well?  Time will tell.

The way the birds and rodents(Squirrels) are packing away the seeds and food, I gotta believe they see a long, cold, winter in this age of that fake science, called Global Warming Bullshit!

Whistling Past another Graveyard_____

Graveyards are a great place to work on family genealogy, that's how I first "met" my Great-Grandfather, Nelson S. Houseworth(1837-1887) in the Blue Creek Cemetery in Paulding County, Ohio.  Also all the Houseworth men that served in and survived the Civil War, are found in various locations around central and western Ohio.  But there are other graveyards that have nothing to do with family genealogy...today I took a short trip to one of those, between runs to the Snow Blower dealer. This one to one from my early years living near Montezuma.

I first noticed the Long Cemetery while hunting in my teen age years...it hat several old trees and a passel of old stones that were lying around in no particular semblance or order.  Not knowing the history, I am assuming it was the Long Family plot...in the 45 years since I first came across it while Squirrel hunting, it has been taken over by the township and now the remaining stones are in order, the weeds cut, and most of the trees taken down...to where there is just a single walnut tree today.

Old cemeteries that were abandoned were prime targets for teenagers, such as myself, to play pranks in...today those pranks seem stupid, even though most of the perps meant no harm.

I remember one Friday or Saturday night in the fall of 1967,  around Halloween probably.  My brother Mike, who was off in the Air Force, best friend David "Kim" Deeter, and a couple of other guys I knew, were riding around with in my 1962 Ford Falcon, when we stopped by the Long plots.   Many of the stones, as I mentioned were laying loose on the ground of the neglected family bone orchard.  Kim, who was to become one of 58,000 victims of "my" war, was just a couple of months away from his draft date with destiny...he would be KIA, in Vietnam with the Army, in April of 1968.  Anyway with innocent mischief on our hands, Kim picked out an abandoned stone that had the words "Son of Rachael" in scripted on it...the dates and other things I don't recall, but it was old, as are all the graves in this bone orchard are.  We put the stone in the back window of the Falcon, turned on two flashlights to shine on the it, and drove around Grand Lake and the Montezuma/Celina area for a couple hours, showing it off during the Hallowen season...then we returned the stone to the spot on the ground where we found it.

Even 43 years or so later, I can remember that night like it was last evening....those old stones are still there, now in better shape, as is the graveyard, than ever before...Sadly, David "Kim" Deeter is inscribed in a tombstone of another variety...The Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC:
http://thewall-usa.com/search.asp

Tomorrow, if I can get up the energy...I'll comment on the traitorous workings of a sorry little Private in this new Politically Correct Army, and his dealings that have led to the Wikileaks fiasco.

back later>>>>

Photos-The Long Cemetery, one of my early discoveries...The little snow last night, was not enough to fire up the Snow Machines...and most was melted by the time I visited the cemetery this afternoon.  Some of the stones are very readable...some not so much, but the death dates as far back as the 1820s and none more recent than the 1870s....

Reflections, November Rains and December Snows

I sit here typing this morning feeling every bit my 61 years 8 1/2 months....the cold I acquired over Thanksgiving is still hanging on, my ankle and legs hurt, and my body aches.  Anyone that thinks growing old, even gracefully, is a treat, hasn't been there.  Don't get me wrong, I'm in pretty good shape for someone my age, still holding in the 185 pound range, where I was in the 210 area code some 15 months ago.  My blood pressure is good, even though I still take some mild medications for it, and my pre-Diabetes 2 is at bay.  Add that to the fact that I can still officiate 250 or so High School sports contests per year, I guess I shouldn't complain...but I still do!

After officiating my 4th basketball game in two nights, I drove home from Spencerville...thankful for the night off I have coming, because another double header Junior High game here in Celina tomorrow, then after a JV Boys game at Wapakoneta on Friday night, I have 3 games, a JH Girls double at Elida, followed by another Boys JV contest north in Continental Saturday.  Making 6 games and one scrimmage since last Friday, and another 7 games between now and Saturday night.  What the Hell am I thinking?  These retirement years are supposed to see a bit of a slow down....so far, I'm refusing to play the game.

Without a doubt, basketball is the hardest on the body of my three sports...sure you can get dinged up in baseball and twist an ankle or knee in football...but for plain old wear and tear on the legs, knees, and back...none of them top roundball.

November becomes December, and the first snow arrives____

It rained from Monday night through yesterday afternoon....the cold front had swept through just before I arrived in Spencerville in the Jeep, with the new replacement windshield in place.  After the games, on the way home via the back roads of Ohio 66 and route 197...the ended rain was freezing on the sides of the roadways.  This gave me a chance to shift the Wrangler into 4 wheel drive for the first time of the season, just to make sure it was engaging and still working...no problem.  I got home, Patricia was in the process of baking another batch of her Christmas Cookies, and fixing supper.  I grabbed a frosted glass from the freezer and poured the first of 3 Guinness Extra Stouts that I would consume while watching The O'Reilly Factor, and some college basketball in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.  Ohio State dumped Florida State 58-44, as the Big Ten took a 4-2 lead in the series.  Tonight #1 Duke takes on #6 Michigan State in the glamor game of the series.  I'm a long time Blue Devils fan and will certainly be rooting for them...however, I am also a Big Ten and OSU fan, and hope that league wins their 2nd straight challenge.

This morning I awoke, with cold still in my head and body still aching, around 8 o'clock...as I looked out, it was plain to see that the rains of the past 24 hours had turned to the first "sticking" snow of the season.  December1st seems like a good day to realize that winter has set in....where has 2010, and in fact the first 11 years of this "new" century gone?

I remember growing up in Venice, Florida, back in the 1950s, thinking that the year 2000 was so far in the future, that it would never get here...and that it seemed like it was so far away, that it was like living forever....how wrong was I on that?  In the bat of an eye, 50 years and more have flown bye.

Anyway, the snow isn't much, but I did get a photo of some of it stuck on Livingston Street in front of my house, looking towards the old Mersman property, where they are completing the Senior Citizen housing...those should be available for occupancy by spring.  Also a photo of the new window, still with tape to solidify the seal, with this mornings half inch of snow clinging to it.

Off to George's Barber Shop at lunch to get "my ears lowered", and then I think I will kick back and try to rest the aches and pain, and work on the next segment of Riff Refs view of the sports world on The MAC Online{Click the blind ref in the right border to see the latest installment}. Or you can click the link below:
 http://www.themaconline.com/macword/?cat=54

 And one final bit...thanks to all that stop by this blog....November saw, by far, the greatest number of "visitors" and "page views" since I started keeping track @sitemeter.... 3630 Visitors(121 per day) and 5634 pages viewed(188 per day), far outdistancing my previous highs of both, set in September of this year.

back later>>>>

Photos-Reflections as I pour my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, cups of Coffee this morning, and views of the first, albeit spartan, snow of the year, on the street in front of the house, and on the newly installed windshield on the Jeep Wrangler...the 4th windshield on that vehicle since I purchased it 8 years ago...stones and whether, in addition to the unique slant and design, seem to be the culprits.